Electronic device and method for transmitting files using the same

ABSTRACT

In a method of transmitting a file of an electronic device, the electronic device sets one or more borderlines of a touch screen, and generates a search signal to search a recipient electronic device to receive the file when the file has been dragged outside of one of the borderlines. Upon the electronic device is in electronic connection with the recipient electronic device, the electronic device sends the file to the recipient electronic device

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to communicationtechnology, and more particularly to an electronic device and a methodfor transmitting files using the electronic device.

2. Description of Related Art

People who use an electronic device (e.g., a mobile phone) may want toexchange data with other electronic devices via a wireless network(e.g., BLUETOOTH). For example, when a user views a file using a firstelectronic device, and wants to share the file with a friend who has asecond electronic device, a connection between the first and secondelectronic devices needs to be established first, then the file in thefirst electronic device is chosen and transmitted to the secondelectronic device. Thus, it is inconvenient for the file to be sharedwith other people. Therefore, what is needed is an electronic device anda transmission method to overcome the aforementioned problem.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a first electronic deviceand a second electronic device including a transmitting system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of function modules of the transmitting systemincluded in the first and second electronic devices of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a transmitting method totransmit a file from the first electronic device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a transmitting method toreceive a file by the second electronic device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of setting borderlinesof a touch screen of the first electronic device of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way oflimitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which likereferences indicate similar elements. It should be noted that referencesto “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily tothe same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

In general, the word module, as used herein, refers to logic embodied inhardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions,written in a programming language, such as, Java, C, or assembly. One ormore software instructions in the modules may be embedded in firmware,such as in an EPROM. The modules described herein may be implemented aseither software and/or hardware modules and may be stored in any type ofnon-transitory computer-readable medium or other storage device. Somenon-limiting examples of non-transitory computer-readable media includeCDs, DVDs, BLU-RAY, flash memory, and hard disk drives.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a first electronic device100 in communication with a second electronic device 200. The firstelectronic device 100 and the second electronic device 200 may be mobilephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tablet computers, or othercomputing devices.

The first electronic device 100 includes a first touch screen 101, afirst storage device 102, and a first processor 103. The secondelectronic device 200 includes a second touch screen 201, a secondstorage device 202, and a second processor 203. The first touch screen101 and the second touch screen 201 may be touch panels, which supportmulti-touch, such as resistive touch screens or capacitive touchscreens.

The first storage device 102 and the second storage device 202 may beused to store various data, such as files, images, videos, for example.

In some embodiments, both of the first electronic device 100 and thesecond electronic device 200 include a transmitting system 30. Thetransmitting system 30 transmits specified data between the firstelectronic device 100 and the second electronic device 200. Furtherdetails will be provided below.

The first electronic device 100 and the second electronic device 200 aregenerally controlled and coordinated by an operating system, such asUNIX, LINUX, WINDOWS, MAC OS X, ANDROID, SYMBIAN, an embedded operatingsystem, or any other compatible operating systems. In other embodiments,the first electronic device 100 and the second electronic device 200 maybe controlled by proprietary operating systems. All such operatingsystems control and schedule computer processes for execution, performmemory management, provide a file system, networking, and I/O services,and provide a user interface, such as a graphical user interface (GUI),among other things.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of function modules of the transmitting system30 included in the first electronic device 100 and the second electronicdevice 200 of FIG. 1. In one embodiment, the transmitting system 30 mayinclude a setting module 301, a determination module 302, a matchingmodule 303, a detection module 304, a feedback module 305, a sendingmodule 306, and a receiving module 307. The modules 301-307 comprisecomputerized codes in the form of one or more programs that may bestored in each of the first storage device 102 and the second storagedevice 202. The computerized code includes instructions that areexecuted by the first processor 103 or by the second processor 203 toprovide functions for the modules.

In some embodiments, the first electronic device 100 may be a senderelectronic device to transmit files to the second electronic device 200,and the second electronic device 200 may be a recipient electronicdevice to receive the files from the first electronic device 100. Inother embodiments, the first electronic device 100 may be the recipientelectronic device, and the second electronic device 200 may be thesender electronic device.

For simplicity in describing the transmitting system 30 below, the firstelectronic device 100 is considered as the sender electronic device andthe electronic device 200 is considered as the recipient electronicdevice.

The word “borderlines” is defined to be one or more imaginary lines thatlimits a border of the first touch screen 101 of the first electronicdevice 100. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, lines indicating ⅛ or ¼ or½ of half of a width of the first touch screen 101, may be set as theborderlines. The setting module 301 sets one or more borderlines of thefirst touch screen 101 of the first electronic device 100. In oneembodiment, the setting module 301 sets the lines that indicate ¼ ofhalf of the width of the first touch screen 101 as the borderlines.

The determination module 302 determines whether a file of the firstelectronic device 100 has been dragged outside of one of theborderlines. For example, if a user uses a mouse of the first electronicdevice 100 to drag and drop the file outside of one of the borderlines,the determination module 302 determines that the file needs to be sharedwith other electronic devices.

The matching module 303 generates a search signal to search one or moreelectronic devices that agree to receive the file when the file has beendragged outside of one of the borderlines. In one embodiment, the searchsignal may be a handshake signal or another kind of connection signal.The electronic devices that agree to receive the file will be consideredas the recipient electronic devices. For simplification, it is assumedthat the second electronic device 200 is the recipient electronic devicethat agrees to receive the file.

The determination module 302 further determines whether the firstelectronic device 100 receives a response signal from the recipientelectronic device (e.g. the second electronic device 200), the responsesignal represents that the recipient electronic device agrees to receivethe file.

The matching module 303 further establishes an electronic connection,such as a BLUETOOTH connection, between the first electronic device 100and the recipient electronic device (e.g. the second electronic device200) when the first electronic device 100 receives the response signalfrom the recipient electronic device.

The sending module 306 sends the file to the recipient electronic device(e.g. the second electronic device 200) when the first electronic device100 is in electronic connection with the recipient electronic device,via a wireless network such as the BLUETOOTH.

The detection module 304 in the recipient electronic device (e.g. thesecond electronic device 200) detects the search signal from the firstelectronic device 100, and further detects a trigger signal to receivethe file in response to the search signal. In one embodiment, thetrigger signal is created in response to a touch/click/press operationon an icon displayed on the second touch screen 201 of the secondelectronic device 200. The icon may be a circular icon, a triangularicon or, a rectangular icon. In one embodiment, the icon is a circularicon.

The feedback module 305 in the recipient electronic device (e.g. thesecond electronic device 200) sends a response signal to the firstelectronic device 100 to agree to receive the file in response to thetrigger signal.

The receiving module 306 in the recipient electronic device (e.g. thesecond electronic device 200) receives the file from the firstelectronic device 100 when the first electronic device 100 is inelectronic connection with the recipient electronic device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a transmitting method totransmit a file from the first electronic device 100 of FIG. 1.Depending on the embodiment, additional blocks may be added, othersdeleted, and the ordering of the blocks may be changed.

In step S1, the setting module 301 sets one or more imaginary lines thatlimit a border of the first touch screen 101 of the first electronicdevice 100. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, lines indicating ⅛ or ¼ or½ of half of a width of the first touch screen 101 may be set as theborderlines. In one embodiment, the setting module 301 sets the lines,which indicate ¼ of half of the width of the first touch screen 101 asthe borderlines.

In step S2, the determination module 302 determines whether a file hasbeen dragged outside of one of the borderlines. For example, if a useruses a mouse of the first electronic device 100 to drag and drop thefile outside of one of the borderlines, the determination module 302determines that the file needs to be shared with other electronicdevices. If the file is determined to be shared with other electronicdevices, step S3 implemented, otherwise if the file is not determined tobe shared with other electronic devices, the process ends.

In step S3, the matching module 303 generates a search signal to searchone or more electronic devices that agree to receive the file when thefile has been dragged outside of one of the borderlines. In oneembodiment, the search signal may be a handshake signal or another kindof connection signal. The electronic devices that agree to receive thefile will be considered as the recipient electronic devices. Forsimplification, it is assumed that the second electronic device 200 isthe recipient electronic device that agrees to receive the file.

In step S4, the determination module 302 further determines whether thefirst electronic device 100 receives a response signal from therecipient electronic device (e.g. the second electronic device 200), theresponse signal represents that the recipient electronic device agreesto receive the file. In one embodiment, the determination module 302determines whether the first electronic device 100 receives the responsesignal in a predetermined time period (e.g. 30 seconds). If the firstelectronic device 100 receives the response signal in the predeterminedtime period, step S5 is implemented, otherwise, the process ends.

In step S5, the matching module 303 further establishes an electronicconnection, such as a BLUETOOTH connection, between the first electronicdevice 100 and the recipient electronic device (e.g. the secondelectronic device 200) when the first electronic device 100 receives theresponse signal from the recipient electronic device. The sending module306 sends the file to the recipient electronic device (e.g. the secondelectronic device 200) via a wireless network such as the BLUETOOTH.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a transmitting method toreceive a file by the second electronic device 200 of FIG. 1. Dependingon the embodiment, additional blocks may be added, others deleted, andthe ordering of the blocks may be changed.

In step S11, the detection module 304 in the recipient electronic device(e.g. the second electronic device 200) detects the search signal fromthe first electronic device 100, and further detects a trigger signal toreceive the file in response to the search signal. In one embodiment,the trigger signal is created in response to a touch/click/pressoperation on an icon displayed on the second touch screen 201 of thesecond electronic device 200. The icon may be a circular icon, atriangular icon or, a rectangular icon. In one embodiment, the icon is acircular icon.

In step S12, the feedback module 305 in the recipient electronic device(e.g. the second electronic device 200) sends a response signal to thefirst electronic device 100 to agree to receive the file in response tothe trigger signal.

In step S13, the receiving module 306 in the recipient electronic device(e.g. the second electronic device 200) receives the file from the firstelectronic device 100 when the first electronic device 100 is inelectronic connection with the recipient electronic device (e.g. thesecond electronic device 200).

Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been specificallydescribed, the present disclosure is not to be construed as beinglimited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to thepresent disclosure without departing from the scope and spirit of thepresent disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic device, comprising: a touch screen;a storage device; at least one processor; and one or more programs thatare stored in the storage device and are executed by the at least oneprocessor, the one or more programs comprising: a setting module thatsets one or more borderlines, the borderlines being one or moreimaginary lines that limit a border of the touch screen of theelectronic device; a determination module that determines whether a fileis dragged outside of one of the borderlines; a matching module thatsearches for a recipient electronic device to receive the file when thefile has been dragged outside of one of the borderlines, the searchingaccording to sending a search signal to the recipient electronic device;the determination module further determining whether the recipientelectronic device agrees to receive the file by receipt of a responsesignal from the recipient electronic device; the matching module furtherestablishing an electronic connection between the electronic device andthe recipient electronic device when the response signal from therecipient electronic device is received; and a sending module that sendsthe file to the recipient electronic device.
 2. The electronic device ofclaim 1, wherein the determination module further determines whether theresponse signal is received within a predetermined time period after theelectronic device generates the search signal.
 3. A method oftransmitting files of an electronic device, the electronic devicecomprising a touch screen, a storage device, and at least one processor,the method comprising: setting one or more borderlines, the borderlinesbeing one or more imaginary lines that limit a border of the touchscreen of the electronic device; determining whether a file is draggedoutside of one of the borderlines; searching for a recipient electronicdevice to receive the file when the file has been dragged outside of oneof the borderlines, the searching according to sending a search signalto the recipient electronic device; determining whether the recipientelectronic device agrees to receive the file by receipt of a responsesignal from the recipient electronic device; establishing an electronicconnection between the electronic device and the recipient electronicdevice when the response signal from the recipient electronic device isreceived; and sending the file to the recipient electronic device. 4.The method according to claim 3, further comprising: determining whetherthe response signal is received within a predetermined time period afterthe electronic device generates the search signal.
 5. A non-transitorystorage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed bya processor of an electronic device, causes the electronic device toperform a method of transmitting files of the electronic device, themethod comprising: setting one or more borderlines, the borderlinesbeing one or more imaginary lines that limit a border of the touchscreen of the electronic device; determining whether a file is draggedoutside of one of the borderlines; searching for a recipient electronicdevice to receive the file when the file has been dragged outside of oneof the borderlines, the searching according to sending a search signalto the recipient electronic device; determining whether the recipientelectronic device agrees to receive the file by receipt of a responsesignal from the recipient electronic device; establishing an electronicconnection between the electronic device and the recipient electronicdevice when the response signal from the recipient electronic device isreceived; and sending the file to the recipient electronic device. 6.The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 5, furthercomprising: determining whether the response signal is received within apredetermined time period after the electronic device generates thesearch signal.